18th annual Race Against Violence set for Saturday

WEST CHESTER — The Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County Inc. will host its 18th annual Chester County Race Against Violence on Saturday, April 27.

Registering by Wednesday, April 24, guarantees participants a T-shirt. To register for the 5K run/ walk, visit www.active.com/event. Online registration is $20.

Participants can also register for $25 on the day of the race. Check-in operates from 7:15 to 8:15 a.m. The new starting time for the event is 8:30 a.m. for the run/ walk. The 1-mile walk starts at 8:35 a.m.

Registration meets at the Chester County Justice Center. The 5k race begins at the center, 201 W. Market St.

Last year, the event raised $7,000.

This race benefits the Crime Victims’ Center, which provides direct services to victims of violence and their families. This includes victims of sexual assault and other crimes, such as homicide, personal injury crimes and stalking. The center also provides prevention/ education programs at all levels from nursery schools to Senior Citizen Programs.

The program originated as a way to create public awareness of victims in Chester County. Gusz said the 5k is a healthy and fun way to inform the community of the serious matters of violence.

Victims of violence have unique needs, Gusz said, and the center is dedicated to direct service to victims.

There are victims everywhere, Gusz said, not just in the Chester County area. She explained the center has preventive education programs for people of all ages. The youngest and oldest people are the most at risk for crime, she said.

“If people aren’t aware of it, they can’t take precautions,” she said.

The program for younger audiences informs and cautions them about domestic violence, dating violence, physical abuse and bullying, among other topics.

People can learn various ways to be supportive of victims. Preventive/ education programs at the center involve what to do in violent situations and how to be supportive of others who encounter violence.

“Violence affects everybody’s life,” she said.

Also, the center is sponsoring an annual candlelight vigil for victims of homicides and for law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Central Presbyterian Church in Downingtown. The event will be followed by a walk to the Victim’s Memorial site in Kardon Park.